Five guests stood awkwardly, glancing at one another. Then with a bang the open door closed. The spacious conference room was slightly dim. Only some of the ceiling lights were on, scattering deep shadows here and there.

“Have you all been enjoying yourselves?”

Amid the heavy silence Moon Hyun-ah’s voice sounded even more weighty.

“You must have been puffed up with dreams of an easy catch, patting your bellies.”

Even high-rank hunters could feel drunk on that wine. That alone made it priceless, yet S-rank hunter Moon Hyun-ah had introduced it herself first in Japan and then at the Chatterbox party in the United States. If the Japan promotion served to acquaint high-rank hunters with a new brand, the Chatterbox party left a firm impression on all mundane awakened worldwide.

A wine newly imbued with mana appearing in a changing world.

It was the sort of product that even non-S ranks would buy out of curiosity. Countless people yearned to try the only wine those famous hunters could enjoy.

Moon Hyun-ah’s wine brand Modol instantly became renowned.

“You took the bait far too easily.”

Moon Hyun-ah slowly straightened her back. She merely unfolded her slumped posture, yet the deep shadows behind her made it seem as if a giant filling the entire room had risen, exuding overwhelming presence.

Thud. Moon Hyun-ah tossed a stack of papers from one side of the large table forward. Then she opened her laptop and a voice streamed out.

[Moon Hyun-ah doesn’t know the practical side of running things anyway.]

It was the voice of one of the five guests standing there.

[What does she know about how a business operates?]

“That, that is….”

The owner of the voice stammered in embarrassment. Moon Hyun-ah looked at him expressionlessly.

“I didn’t know, so I studied.”

Moon Hyun-ah indeed knew nothing of companies or business. She’d lived apart from such matters and been drawn in before she could learn. Her sponsors had thought that the young female S-rank hunter would never understand. Their world was such.

“Mr. Kim Seok-ju.”

“Yes, Guild Master.”

The door beside the conference room opened slightly and a young man poked his head in. He waved his hand at the middle-aged man who’d burst in looking for him.

“Hello, Director Choi. I must politely decline your offer to make room.”

“You—!”

“I’ve gratefully passed along the information you provided. To our guild master, of course.”

With that farewell the door slammed shut. The other four guests’ expressions also soured. They each had been in contact with Moon Hyun-ah’s staff. One of them spoke tentatively.

“Could it be that all of your employees….”

“All of them, yes. All five pretended to go along deliberately.”

Moon Hyun-ah shifted her toes and continued.

“The head of a rising startup business, the guild master of hunters in that very company. Of course he’d look like an easy target. And the president focused only on promotion, some of the key staff are mundanes. There are even staff seconded from the sponsoring companies.”

It was easy enough to tempt them. Pressuring from outside to hand over the wine business to the sponsor, while bribing insiders from within. Moreover, Modol was an unlisted company with relatively low owner equity. With key staff holding shares, buying them off one by one felt like swallowing easy prey.

While such under-the-table deals were underway, the Chatterbox party exploded. Collaboration requests poured in from the global liquor industry, rumors spread that Modol would soon go public, and the five assembled here grew anxious.

“You’ve been so generous in giving things away.”

No matter how high the price, it wasn’t a loss. As a result, the five guests opened both their mouths and their wallets wide.

“What, what do you want! You called us all here like this!”

“Haven’t you heard? Welcome to another guild.”

Moon Hyun-ah raised the corners of her mouth and looked at each guest in turn.

“I want you to become complete strangers.”

“…Do you really think our chairmen would accept that!”

“It’s the same for us. You’re upset over a few weaknesses!”

“Therefore I expect your full cooperation from now on.”

Behind Breaker Guild stood three companies: two large, one relatively small. Even if the wine business grew, it would be hard to outgrow all three at once. In fact, the bigger Moon Hyun-ah’s personal business became, the less likely those companies would let go of Breaker Guild.

She could have grown her own business and abandoned Breaker to form anew, but Moon Hyun-ah refused. Even if no path existed, she’d rather crash headfirst than let go. Even if she got bruised.

“Even if you call it cooperation—!”

“I know all five of you have your own power bases. That you tried to snatch what I have to rise higher.”

The laptop’s audio file kept playing. It alternatingly shouted and then spoke in soothing tones.

[Is this the Joseon era? They’d hand out their children.]

[They’ve seated distant relatives in every position. A ✪ Nоvеlіgһt ✪ (Official version) modern dynasty, a dynasty.]

It even included complaints about company inheritance issues.

“Those are things people say in private gatherings.”

“It’s a contract.”

Moon Hyun-ah pulled five contracts from her inventory and tossed them into the air. Riding the mana-driven wind, the papers flew smoothly—one landing in front of each guest. The guests accepted the contracts, visibly intimidated by a feat no ordinary human could perform.

They were agreements to cooperate with Moon Hyun-ah in securing Breaker Guild’s independence.

“This is blackmail!”

“A contract can’t exist unless both parties agree. Yes, I hold the weakness, but think carefully.”

Moon Hyun-ah’s voice sank low.

“Which line will be stronger. If you want to extract Breaker Guild safely, your power must grow, too. Naturally, I will help you develop that ability.”

“…You’re so full of yourself just because your wine business did well—!”

“If you had ears, you’d have heard. For at least the next four years, the dungeon remains.”

The news had spread rapidly after Han Yujin’s regression became known to high-rank hunters.

“For four years you’ll have a stable supply of eco-friendly, high-efficiency mana stones. The guarantee is four years, but it may last longer.”

“That’s….”

“Even if it ends in four years, the world has already entered a stable phase. Countries such as the US and Europe clinging to old energy sources are already shifting stance based on this information.”

Some nodded absentmindedly. Moon Hyun-ah gave a faint smile.

“From now on it’s war. For the guaranteed four years, the world will amass mana stones and actively develop dungeon-related new materials. And hunters will inevitably be at the center.”

The days of tiptoeing were over. Now it was a race. Moon Hyun-ah pulled a business card from her breast pocket. Pure white.

“Team White, conducting dungeon research in collaboration with Dodam Breeding. One of its sponsors is me, the Breaker Guild Master. Is it just wine?”

Round and round the card fluttered from her finger, landing upright in the center before the five.

“You’ve heard of stamina potions, right? They’ll be on limited sale soon. Modol is involved in that production line too.”

Both wine and potions were mana-related products. That’s why they built the factory with D&L Bio. Although Dodam sponsors D&L Bio, this collaboration was a contract between two companies unrelated to Dodam.

“We have more preparations underway. I ask again— which line seems stronger?”

Silence fell. The sound of dry swallowing was faintly heard. It seemed their minds were working calculations.

“…Then there’s no need to take Breaker Guild, right?”

“Perhaps so.”

Moon Hyun-ah’s parted lips closed. A slick feral gleam appeared in her dark brown eyes. Her lips parted once more.

“It’s my guild.”

Guttural growls of power cut through them, and the guests recoiled. Before them the businesswoman had transformed into an S-rank hunter. Her fur bristled, instinctual fear made their legs tremble. Their backs soon hit the walls and closed door with thuds.

“And it’s our guild.”

The one they’d willingly supported.

“It’s not that I’m restraining myself because I can’t rampage. I want to be with the gaze and expectation directed at me.”

An S-rank hunter could forsake corporations, laws, and contracts in an instant. If she were prepared to stand alone, she could shatter every chain binding her. But Moon Hyun-ah loved her life— the path before awakening and that after. She would not abandon either.

“Thus I will respond through society.”

The air like blades scattered at once. A collective exhale echoed.

“…Societally, yes….”

“I have it and you have it. I don’t intend to blackmail, but any foul play I can dirtyly retaliate. I can’t bury an entire company in the dungeon, but one person leaves no trace. If you truly object—”

Screech— one side of the closed door opened. All eyes turned to the gap. Moon Hyun-ah held a new contract.

“You may leave on promise only to keep your mouths shut.”

The five exchanged glances. A moment passed, but none moved. Greed. It was greed that brought them here, unsatisfied with the present. So.

“I believe.”

“The world has changed; we can’t remain old-fashioned forever.”

“I’ve been a fan of the Breaker Guild Master even before awakening!”

All five signed the contracts. Though one-sided, for their companies to let go of Breaker Guild smoothly, their power within had to grow.

With words of future cooperation they departed. Left alone, Moon Hyun-ah let out a huge sigh and swept her hair back.

“Working with acquaintances is really not my style.”

“You did well though.”

A few people emerged from the next room. Among them Seong Min-ha gathered the scattered documents and said,

“They switched over smoothly too.”

“People can flip so easily.”

“That’s why they’re in those positions.”

“Exactly. Society works that way.”

Kim Seok-ju nodded at Min-ha’s words.

“As long as you hold the leash tight, they’ll do well.”

“Ah—I just want to hold a knife to the chairman’s throat and threaten him.”

“I think our guild master’s been slightly influenced by Riete Hunter.”

“Hiring Riete Hunter might be a good idea too, really. Overthrowing everything and during the chaos—shak—”

“Stop spouting nonsense!”

Choi Ga-eun smacked Kim Seok-ju on the back. The A-rank hunter teased him for hunting mundanes, and he clutched his chest in mock pain.

“Now we’re planting spies too. High-ranking ones at that. Finally, we’re on equal footing.”

“Until now they intervened unilaterally. Maybe it’ll get easier.”

Moon Hyun-ah stretched her limbs. She slowly began cutting the strings tying Breaker Guild, ready to tear them all at once when the time came. The cornerstone was laid.

“Now, Guild Master. About that overseas cooperation—”

“Argh, I just want to be a hunter guild master!”

Just then Moon Hyun-ah’s phone buzzed. Checking the message, she burst into laughter.

[Going to crash Guild Master Seong’s wedding]

“I want to go too!”

“I don’t know where it is, but finish your work first.”

“I hope Seong Hyun-jae wears a wedding dress. Something extravagant. Or really simple.”

Moon Hyun-ah flopped onto the desk, murmuring. It sounds fun. I’m jealous.

Soon after, the teaser for Your S-Rank—We’re Getting Married! was broadcast. Moon Hyun-ah pounded the ground in frustration. I should’ve seen that in person!

[Mary, I’m so jealous but not jealous]

On the other end Kang So-young spoke through the phone.

[If only the guild master wasn’t an option!]

“Why? Seong Hyun-jae’s popular.”

[If it airs, everyone will know. He’ll ignore all the other participants and flirt with Director Song or Chief Han.]

“That’ll be fun.”

[With the Breaker Guild Master too! That’s the problem. Ah, I want to see Noah too! Didn’t he sparkle brilliantly? It was like special effects. Truly self-illuminating!]

“Noah does sparkle.”

Moon Hyun-ah said wearily. One day Riete, the next day Kang So-young—every day she heard about Noah’s shine.

“Won’t they actually broadcast it? For the opening, they should make all the male participants wear dresses. He looked good in a solid block of stone on Seong Hyun-jae’s birthday.”

[Noah suits white, but I think black dresses would be good too. He could open his wings by tearing his back! Ahhhh! It’d be magical!]

“Yerim’s suit was cool and cute. Suits fit Yerim, and if Riete appears then dresses. I think dresses suit Riete better.”

[Oh really? Riete’d look good in anything!]

“There’s a charm that looks like she’d tear everything apart.”

[Yes, I know what you mean!]

Kang So-young and Moon Hyun-ah laughed together. At that moment someone knocked on the door. Moon Hyun-ah called in.

“Guild Master, a guest has arrived.”

“A guest? Who is it?”

“Hunter Marisa Moore from the British Hunter Association.”

Marisa Moore. Moon Hyun-ah blinked. After ending the call with Kang So-young, she nodded.

“What business from Britain could it be? Show her in.”

A moment later the door opened again and Marisa Moore stepped inside.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep